Dispensing valve assembly



Sept. 30, 1958 B. EDWARDS DISPENSING VALVE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 19, 1955 !NVENTOR.

Sept. 30, 1958 B. EDWARDS 2,354,176

DISPENSING VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedSept. 30, 1958 DISPENSING VALVE ASSEMBLY Bryant Edwards, Oak Park, llL,assignor to Illinois Tool Works, Chicago, 11]., a corporation ofIllinois Application Gctober 19, 1955, Serial No. 541,424-

14 Claims. (Cl. 222==-394 The present invention relates to a noveldispensing device, and more particularly to a novel dispensing valveassembly for use in connection with a pressurized dispensing container.

Many different products are presently packaged in pressurizeddispensing. containers which include dispensing valve assemblies ofvarious construction. Such heretofore known dispensing valve assembliesare relatively complicated and usually include as many as seven separateelements so that a considerable amount of time, labor and equipment isrequired for producing and assembling the valve elements. It is,therefore, an impor- 'tant object of the present invention to provide anovel simplified dispensing valve structure which may be manufacturedand assembled more economically than heretofore proposed dispensingvalves.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novelvalve assembly having a reduced number of separate elements which may beeasily and economically produced as by molding so that manufacturing andassembling costs may be substantially reduced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel dispensingvalve of the above described type which can be applied to containers tobe filled and processed by machinery presently in use.

Still another object of the present invention is to pro- I vide a noveldispensing valve of the above described type which is constructed sothat all of its elements may be formed from non-metallic materialswhereby the valve may be used on containers of caustic products as wellas other products.

Another more specific object of the present invention is to provide anovel dispensing valve structure of the above described type whichincludes a tube extending toward the bottom of a container and which isconstructed so that the tube may be easily applied to and securelyretained in assembled relationship with a body portion of the valvestructure.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a dispensing container including thenovel valve assembly of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 22 inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing themanner in which the dispensing valve is actuated to release the productsfrom the container;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view partially broken away showing a slightlymodified form of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view partially broken away showing anothermodified form of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is an exploded view partially in cross section showing portionsof the structure of Fig. 6 prior to assembly;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 88 inFig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of thepresent invention; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the manner inwhich the valve structure of Fig. 6 is secured to the container.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts aredesignated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, adispensing container 20 incorporating a valve structure 22 formed inaccordance with the present invention is shown in Fig. 1. The container20 includes, in addition to the valve structure, a cylindrical bodyportion 24, a concave bottom 26, and a domed upper end 28. The upper end28 is provided with a central aperture for receiving the valvestructure, which aperture is defined by a rigidifying bead 30.

The valve structure 22 comprises a main body member 32 which ispreferably formed from plastic material. The body member 32 is providedwith an annular section 34 having a generally concavo-convex radialcross section. A peripheral portion 36 of the body member is formed withan annular groove 33 which substantially receives the bead 39 in themanner shown. It should be noted that when the container is filled witha material under pressure, the pressure tends to fiex the annularsection 34 of the body member outwardly and thereby aggressively pressesthe peripheral section 36 against the bead 30 so as securely to seal thecontainer.

The body member 32 is provided with an upwardly extending centrallylocated enlargement 40 which is formed for receiving and retaining acombined valve actuating and dispensing nozzle member 42 which will bedescribed in detail below, and a centrally located depending stem 44which terminates in a plurality of flexible resilient fingers 46. Apassageway 48 is provided through the stem 44 and is defined at itslower end by a valve seat 50 which opens into an enlarged chamber 52. Aball valve member 54 is disposed in the chamber 52 for engagement withthe valve seat normally to preclude the passage of the product withinthe container through the passageway 48. It is to be noted that thelower ends of the fingers 46 are disposed in converging relationship toretain the ball 54 within the chamber. In addition, the fingers 46 areformed so as to function as spring means resiliently biasing the ball 54against the valve seat. The ball is assembled within the chamber 52 byspreading the resilient fingers 46, and in order to facilitate thisassembly, the ends of the fingers are provided with outwardly flaringcam surfaces 56 against which the ball may be pressed to spread thefingers sufiiciently to permit the ball to be snapped into position.

The ball 54 is preferably formed from material which is substantiallyharder than the relatively soft and resilient material of the bodymember 32, which body member may be formed from a suitable plasticmaterial such as polyethylene. For example, the ball may be formed frommetal, but in certain instances, it may be desired to form the ball fromglass or a ceramic material especial- 1y if a caustic product is to bepackaged within the container.

The actuating and nozzle member 42 is formed in one piece from anysuitable material and is preferably formed from a plastic material. Thismember comprises an upper solid end portion 58 from which a generallycylindrical portion 60 depends. The lower end of the cylindrical portion60 is adapted to extend within an annular recess 62 formed in thecentral enlarged portion of the body member. Generally radiallyextending annular shoulder means 64 is provided on the cylindricalportion 69 for 'cooper ating with an annular flange 66 of the bodymember which partially traverses the recess 62 so as to retain themember 42 in assembled relation ship with the body member. The lower endof the cylindrical portion 6 terminates in convergingcam surfaces 68 and70. These cam surfacesfacilitate entry of the lower end portion of thecylindrical Wall 60 in the narrow annular space between theflange 66 andthe inner wall 72 of the recess 62 during initialassembly of the member42 with the body member. Inaddition, these cam surfaces during assemblyof the member 42 serve to spread the flange 66 and the inner wall 72 soas to permit the shoulder 64 to pass beneath the flange.

The member 42 is provided with an axially extending stem 74 which islocated so that an annular space 76 is formed between the stem and thecylindrical portion 60. -The stem has a relatively large diametersection 78 which extends loosely into an enlarged central passageway 80;formed in the body member, and a stem section 82 of reduced diameterextends from the section 78 loosely through the passageway 48 forengagement with the ball 54. It will be appreciated that the largediameter section 78 of the stem provides the relatively long stem withthe desired strength and rigidity.

The elements of the valve structure thus far described normally assumethe positions shown in Fig. 2 so that the valve is closed. In order toopen the ball valve .54 for dispensing the product from the container,the member 32 is depressed by an operator as shown in Fig. 3 so that thestem 74 shifts the ball 54 from the valve seat. This permits the productto flow between the fingers 46, along the ball and through thepassageways 48 and 80 and into the space 76. A nozzle-like aperture 84having a reduced diameter portion and a flaring mouth is provided in thecylindrical wall 60 for permitting the product to pass from the space 76into .the atmosphere. It should be noted that the inner surface of thecylindrical wall portion 60 is tapered so that the thickness, of thewall increases toward its upper end. As a result, the wall portion 60 iswedged between the flange 66 and the surface 72 of the body member whenthe member 42 is depressed as shown in Fig. 3 so as to prevent theproduct from entering the recess '62. Whenthe operator releases thepressure on the member 42, the resilient fingers 46 which have beenflexed downwardly asshown in Fig. 3 return to their normal positions andthereby resiliently press the valve ball 54 against the valve seat andat the same time, cause the member 42 to be raised to its originalposition.

Preferably, as tube 86 is provided which extends from the body member 32to a' point adjacent the bottom of the container as shown in Fig. 1. Aswill be understood, this tube permits the product to be dispensed fromthe container while the container is held in an upbodiment shown inFigs. 1 through 4, the tube 86 is connected with the body member 32 in asecure yet'simple manner. More specifically, the upper end of the tube86 is applied over the stem portion 44 of the body member with a forcefit which is sufficiently tight to prevent the tube from becomingdisassembled. It should be noted that with this structure there is notendency for the tube to become loose when the member 42 is depressedand and insures proper closing of the valve.

pressure which must be applied by an operator to force the 4 the valveis open since the finger portions 46 will spread and even more securelyretain the tube.

- Fig. 5 shows a slightly modified form of the present invention'whichis similar to the above described structure as indicated by theapplication of identical reference with the suffix a added tocorresponding elements. This embodiment differs from the above describedstructure in that the body member 32 is provided with a cylin dricalwall 88 surrounding the stem portion 441:, and the diameter of the tube86a is relatively increased so as to avoid substantial contact with thestem portion 44:: and to fit snugly within the wall 88. i

In Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 10 there is shown another modified form of thepresent invention which is similar to the above described structure asindicated by theapplibation of identical reference numerals with thesuflix b" added to corresponding elements. In this embodiment, the bodymember 321) is modified for assembly with a sheet material cap member 90which, in turn, is adapted to be secured to the head 3% of the containertop;

As shown in Fig. 7, the cap member 90 which may be may from sheet metalis initially formed so as to include a peripheral inverted U-shapedsection 92,.andjntermediate annular portion 94 having a generallyU-shaped cross section including upstanding walls 96 and 98, and acentral inwardly extending annular flange 100. The body vmember 32b isprovided with a peripheral flange 102 having opposite sides thereofflowing upwardly and outwardly as shown best in Fig. 8. The body member3211 is assembled with the cap member by shifting it from the positionshown in 7. up through the central aperture in the cap member flange.

160 until the bodymember flange 102 engages the cap member flange. Thenthe flange 100 and the wall96 of. the cap member are crirnped around theflange 102 of p the body member as shown in Figs. 6 and 8 by suitabletool means, not shown. The upwardly flaring shape of the body memberflange and the complementary shape of the flange retaining sections ofthe cap memberserve to strengthen and rigidity the assembly. Uponapplica w. tion of the cap member of the container topythe' s'e c.-.tion 92 and the wall 98 are deformed or' .crimped by.

ber is securely interconnected with the bead 3.011. of:

referencenumerals with the suflix 0 added to corre-:' sponding elements.This embodiment differs only in that;

the cylindrical wall portion 60c of the actuating and. nozzle member 42cis provided with an outwardly flaring, cam surface '104 spaced above theannularshoulder 64c sufficiently normally to be located above the flange666. It will be appreciated that when the member 420. is depressed, theresilient flange 660 and the portion of the body member from which theflange extends will be flexed outwardly. As a result, the flange 66cresiliently presses against the cam surface 104 so that when the member42c is released by the operator it iscammed upwardly toward its normalposition. plements the resilient forces provided by the fingers 460 Inaddition, the

should also be appreciated that the valve assembly may.

be easily applied to a container using procedures now This action com--employed, and in this connection, it should be noted that the valve bodymay first be applied to the container whereupon the container may befilled by injecting the product and gas through the passageway 48 andthe member 42 may be applied by machinery presently in use. it isfurther seen that the present invention has provided a novel valveassembly which may be manufactured economically from completelynon-metallic materials so that the assembly is especially adapted foruse with containers of caustic products.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may bechanged without departing from the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A dispensing valve assembly comprising one-piece body means adaptedto be mounted on a container and having an axially extending passagewaycompletely therethrough surrounded by a valve seat, a valve membercooperable with said valve seat for closing said passageway, annularlydisposed resilient means integral with an inner end of said body meansand disposed behind and yieldably retaining said valve member forengagement with said valve seat, said resilient means being expandableduring initial assembly of the valve member for enabling passage of thevalve therethrough and into engagement with the valve seat, and aone-piece dispensing member axially slidably interconnected with anouter end portion of said body means and separate from said valvemember, said dispensing member including an element extending throughsaid passageway for engaging and shifting said valve member from saidvalve seat when the dispensing member is shifted axially inwardlyrelative to said body member, and means providing a discharge passagewaythrough said dispensing memberand communicating with said firstmentioned passageway.

2. A dispensing valve assembly comprising a one-piece body memberadapted to be mounted on a container and having an axially extendingpassageway therethrough surrounded by a valve seat, a valve membercooperable with said valve :seat for closing said passageway, aplurality of annularly spaced generally axially extending resilientflexure spring means integral with an inner end of said body member anddisposed behind and yieldably retaining said valve member for engagementwith the valve seat, said flexure spring means being expandable duringinitial assembly of the valve member for enabling the valve member to beforced thereby and into engagement with the valve seat, and a one-piecedispensing member separate from said valve member and axially slidablyinterconnected with said body member, said dispensing member includingan element extending through said passageway for engaging and shiftingsaid valve member from said valve seat when the dispensing member isdepressed axially, and means providing a discharge passageway throughsaid dispensing member and communicating with said first mentionedpassageway.

3. A dispensing valve assembly comprising a one-piece plastic bodymember adapted to be mounted on a container having an axially extendingpassageway therethrough surrounded by a valve seat, a valve membercooperable with said valve seat for closing said passageway, annularlyarranged resilient means integral with an inner end of said body memberand extending behind and yieldably retaining said valve member forengagement with said valve seat, said resilient means being expandabledurin initial assembly of the valve member for permitting the valvemember to be forced therethrough and into engagement with the valveseat, and a one-piece dispensing member axially slidable with respect tothe valve membar and including a cylindrical section telescopicallyassociated with a body member section surrounding said passageway,interengageable shoulder means on said sections for preventing axialseparation of the dispensing member from the body member, :one of saidshoulder means being yieldable to permit assembly of said sections, andsaid dispensing member including an element within said cylindricalsection and extending through said passageway for engaging and shiftingthe valve member when the dispensing member is actuated, and meansproviding a discharge passageway through said dispensing member andcommunicating with said first mentioned passageway.

4. A dispensing valve assembly comprising a plastic body member adaptedto be mounted on a container and having an axially extending passagewaytherethrough surrounded by a valve seat, a valve member cooperable withsaid valve seat, means on said body member yieldably retaining saidvalve member for engagement with the valve seat, and a dispensing memberaxially shiftable with respect to said body member including acylindrical section telescopically extending around a body membersection surrounding said passageway, one of said sections having atapering surface for increasingly aggressively engaging the other ofsaid sections when the dispensing member is depressed axially to preventthe contents of the container being dispensed from passing between saidsections, said dispensing member including an element within saidcylindrical section and extending through said passageway for engagingand shifting the valve member from the valve seat when the dispensingmember is depressed, and means providing a discharge passageway throughsaid dispensing member and communicating with said first mentionedpassageway.

5. A dispensing valve assembly comprising a body member adapted to bemounted on a container and having a passageway therethrough surroundedby a valve seat, a valve member cooperable with said valve seat,'

means on said body member yieldably retaining said valve member forengagement with said valve seat, and a dispensing member axiallyshiftable relative to said body member and including a cylindricalsection telescopically extending around a body member sectionsurrounding said passageway, one 'of said sections being radiallyyieldable and one of said sections having a flaring cam surfaceengageable with the other of said sections so that when the dispensingmember is depressed axially and then released the dispensing member iscammed outward 1y, said dispensing member including an element withinsaid cylindrical section and extending through said passageway forengaging and shifting said valve member from the valve seat when thedispensing member is depressed, and said dispensing member includingdischarge passageway means therethrough communicating with said firstmentioned passageway.

6. A dispensing valve assembly comprising a plastic body member adaptedto be mounted on a container and having a passageway therethroughsurrounded by a valve seat, a valve member cooperable with said valveseat, resilient means on said body member yieldably retaining said valvemember for engagement with the valve seat, and a dispensing memberincluding a cylindrical section telescopically and axially slidablyassociated with a yieldable body member section surrounding saidpassageway, said cylindrical section having a generally axiallyextending and radially flaring cam surface increasingly aggressivelyengageable with said yieldable section when the dispensing member isdepressed-so that the dispensing member upon being released is cammedoutwardly, said dispensing member including an element extending throughsaid passagewayfor engaging and shifting said valve member from thevalve seat when the dispensing member is depressed, and dischargepassageway means through said dispensing member and communicating withsaid first mentioned passageway.

7. A dispensing valve assembly comprising a one-piece plastic bodymember adapted to be mounted :on a container and having a passagewaytherethrough surrounded by a valve .seat, a valve member cooperable withsaid valve seat, resilient meanson said :bod y member yieldablyretaining said valve member for engagement; with the valve seat, meansproviding an annular recess having an open upper end "surrounding saidpassageway, said body member including an annular flange extending froma wall of' saidrec'ess, and a one piecedispensing member including acylindrical section having an end portion thereof slidably disposedwithin said recess, shoulder means on "said cylindrical sectionengageable with said annular flange for preventing'axial separation ofthe dispensing member from said body member, said dispensing member"including an element extending through said passageway for engagin'g andshifting the valve member from the valves'eat when said dispensingmember is depressed, and discharge passageway means through saiddispensing member and'eommu'nicating with said first mentionedpassageway. i 7 i i 8 A dispensing valve assembly'comprising a one-pieceplastic body member including a central :section having a said valveseat when the dispensing. member is actuated.

passageway therethrough surrounded by a valve seat, said body memberincluding a relatively thin annular flange sectionextending'laterally'from'said central section'and comprising aperipheral portion having annular radially outwardly facing groove meanstherein for receiving an edge of a container and an" annularportionexte'nding' axially and radially inwardly from said peripheralportion so that when the body member is applied to a pressurizedcontainer the pressure forces said peripheral portion into aggressivesealing engagement with said container edge, a valve member cooperablewith said valve seat, resilient means integral with said body memberyieldably retaining said valve member 'for engagement with the valveseat, and'a dispensing member slidably interconnected with said bodymember, said dispensing member including an element extending throughsaid passageway'for engaging and shifting said valve member from thevalve seat when the dispensing member is actuated, and means providing adischarge passageway through said dispensing member and communicatingwith said first mentioned passageway.

9. A dispensing valve assembly comprising a plastic body member havingan axially extending passageway therethrough surrounded by a valve seat,said body member including a peripheral upwardly inclined flange. havingaxially inner and outer upwardly inclined end surfaces, an annular sheetmaterial member including an inner marginal section sealed with respectto said flange and conforming to and engaging the axially inner andouter and peripheral surfaces of said flange and a peripheral portionadapted to be connected to a container, a valve member cooperable withsaid valve seat, resilient means integral with said body memberyieldably retaining said valve member for engagement with the valveseat,and a dispensing member axially slidably interconnected with said bodymember, said dispensing member including an element extending throughsaid passageway for engaging and shifting the valve member when thedispensing member is depressed, and means providing a dischargepassageway through said dispensing member and communicating with saidfirst mentioned passageway.

10. A dispensing valve assembly comprising body means adapted to bemounted on a container and having an axially extending passagewaytherethrough surrounded by a downwardly facing valve seat, a valvemember cooperable with said valve seat, annularly arranged resilientmeans and extending beneath and integral with said body means yieldablyretaining said valve member for engagement with the valve seat, anelongated tube having an'upper end portion-having a cylindrical surfacedisposed for communicating with said valve seat and secured to a lowerend section of'said body means having a cylindrical surface by means ofa force fit between said cylindrical surfaces, said tube being adaptedto extend toward a container bottom, and a dispensing member II. A"dispensing valve assembly comprising a onepiece plastic body memberadapted to. be mounted on a containei 'and having an axiallyextendingpassageway therethrough surrounded by a downwardly facingvalveseat, a valve member cooperable with said valve-seat, said body memberincluding a hollow depending stem portion having integral resilientmeans prdjecting beneath and yieldably retaining said valve memberfor'e'ngage ment with said valve Tseat, a tube for extending toward abottom of a container; said tube having anupp'er end portion telescopedover said stem portion with a force fit, and a dispensing memberaxiallyslidably interconnected with said body member, said dispensing memberincluding discharge passageway means thefrethrough communicating withsaid first mentioned passageway and an element extending through saidfirst mentioned passageway for engaging and shifting the valve memberfrom said valve seat when the dispensing member is actuated.

12. A dispensing valve assembly comprising a one-piece plastic bodymember adapted to be mounted on a container and having a passagewayextending axially therethrough and surrounded by a downwardly facing"valve seat, a valve member cooperable with said valve seat, resilientmeans integral with said body member yieldably retaining said' alvemember for engagement with the valve seat, said body member including acylindrical surface at its inner side and generally concentric with saidvalve seat and surrounding said resilient means in radially spacedrelationship thereto, a tube adapted to extend toward a bottom of acontainer and having its upper end disposed within said' cylindricalsurface with a force fit and communicating with said valve seat, and aone-piece dispensing member axially slidably interconnectedwith saidbody member, said. dispensing member including discharge passagewaymeans therethrough communicatingwith said first mentioned passageway andan element extending through, said first mentioned passageway forengaging and shifting said valve member from the valve seat when saiddispensing member is actuated.

13. A dispensing valve assembly comprising a onepiece plastic bodymember adapted to be mounted on a container, and having a passagewaytherethroughsurrounded by a downwardly facing valve seat, a valve-memberdisposed for cooperation with said valve seat, said body memberincluding a plurality of annularly arranged resilient integral fingermeans yieldably retaining said valve member for engagement with thevalve seat, and a one piece dispensing member axially slidablyinterconnected with said body member, said dispensing member includingmeans providing a discharge passageway'therethrough communicating withsaid first mentioned passageway and an element extending through saidfirst mentioned passageway for engaging and shifting said valve memberfrom said valve seat when the dispensing. member is depressed. a

14. A dispensing valve assembly comprising a onepiece plastic bodymember adapted to be mounted on a 7 sociated with abodymember sectionsurrounding said passageway, interengageable shoulder means on saidSeetions for preventing axial separation of the dispensing member fromthe body member, one of said shoulder means being yieldable to permitassembly of said sections, one of said sections including a taperingsurface increasingly aggressively engaging the other of said sectionswhen the dispensing member is axially depressed to prevent the contentsof a container being dispensed from passing between said sections, saiddispensing member including means providing a discharge passagewaytherethrough communicating with said first mentioned passageway, and anelongated element extending through said first mentioned passageway forengaging and shifting said valve member from said valve seat when saiddispensing memher is depressed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS549,678 Miller Nov. 12, 1895 1,869,049 Card July 26, 1932 2,621,014Efiord Dec. 9, 1952 2,643,799 Countryman June 30, 1953 2,662,668 SchmidtDec. 15, 1953 2,723,055 Beard Nov. 8, 1955 UNTTED STATES PATENT QTFTCECERTIFICATE er 'QEQTIN Patent No 2,854,l76 September 30, 1958 BryantEdwards It is hereby certified that error appears in the-printedspecification of the above "numbered patent requiring correction andthat the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

"as tube" read a tube =3 column 4, line column '7, line 67, strike out r"means" in line 68,

Column 3, line 58, for 41, for "member of" read member to "and extendingbeneath and and insert the same afte same column SEAL ittest:

KARL H, AXLINE Attesting Officer ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner ofPatents

